Blueberry plant named “BB06-540FL-12”

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of blueberry plant named ‘BB06-540FL-12’ as described and shown herein. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ is a new and distinct low chill tetraploid, as illustrated and described, Southern highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium ) variety based largely on  V. darrowii . It is a productive, very early season ripening variety with high quality fresh market characteristics. It is intended for areas which successfully grow lower chill Southern highbush varieties. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ provides well-exposed fruit, an upright bush with a small crown, concentrated ripening, firm fruit and easy detachment. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ has an attractive blue color with medium amount of bloom, which is modestly maintained during handling. The flavor is very good with a balance of high sweetness levels and medium acidity. Berries have a crunchy and juicy texture with medium storage ability of 2 to 3 weeks.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Blueberries are a well-known fruit enjoyed by many throughout the world.One example of an existing, patented blueberry variety is Star, U.S.Plant Pat. No.10,675. Another example of an existing, patented blueberryvariety is Sweetcrisp, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,027.

Compared to Star, the maturity of the present cultivar, ‘BB06-540FL-12’,is 21-25 days earlier. The bush shape is very erect as compared to Star.In addition, in BB06-540FL-12 new fruiting wood, petioles are light pinkcolored early in the season. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ produces fruit that isslightly larger and more round in shape than Star.

Compared to Sweetcrisp, the maturity of ‘BB06-540FL-12’ is earlier by18-21 days. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ has a slightly smaller and less firm berry,a more upright bush shape, and a more concentrated harvest.

The present cultivar, ‘BB06-540FL-12’, provides one or more advantagescompared to these and/or other blueberry varieties, such as very earlyseason ripening variety with high quality fresh market characteristics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a photograph taken in April 2012 of the Blueberry cultivar‘BB06-540FL-12’, showing mature leaves, unripe and ripe fruit with fruitcolor, size, shape, fruit cluster density, and calyx features.

FIG. 2 is a photograph taken in April 2012 of the Blueberry cultivar‘BB06-540FL-12’, showing a 6 year old bush with ripened fruit, as wellas bush shape, cane growth, leaf shape and color, and glossy leaves.

FIG. 3 is a photograph taken in April-May 2012 of the Blueberry cultivar‘BB06-540FL-12’, showing mature leaf shape, color and venation, openedflower and flower buds, and glossy, thick leaves

FIG. 4 is a photograph taken in April 2012 of the Blueberry cultivar‘BB06-540FL-12’, showing ripe and unripe fruit, leaf shape, and pinkishcoloration of stems, petioles, peduncles and leaf venation during cooltemperatures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Note: statements of characteristics herein represent exemplaryobservations of the cultivar herein and will vary depending on time ofyear, location, annual weather, etc. Where dimensions, sizes, colors,and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that suchcharacteristics are approximations and averages. The descriptionsreported herein are largely from specimen plants grown near Interlachen,Fla. Data were obtained on plants that were 6 years old.

-   Cultivar name: ‘BB06-540FL-12’.-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Ericaceae.        -   Botanical name.—Vaccinium corymbosum.        -   Common name.—Blueberry.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Name: Sapphire (parents unknown). U.S. Plant            Pat. No. 11,829. Compared to Sapphire, ‘BB06-540FL-12’ has a            more round berry shape, a lighter blue color of ripened            berries, and matures 2 weeks earlier. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ also            has a more erect bush shape, and leaves and flowers of            ‘BB06-540FL-12’ appear to have better cold tolerance.        -   Male parent.—Name: Snowchaser (FL95-57 unpatented×FL89-119            unpatented). U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,503. Compared to            Snowchaser, ‘BB06-540FL-12’ has a more upright bush shape,            and leafs at the time of flowering. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ also has            a slightly larger berry that maintains uniformity of size            through harvest, and the leaves, flowers, and fruit of            ‘BB06-540FL-12’ appear to have better frost tolerance.

‘BB06-540FL-12’ was first asexually propagated by softwood cuttings. Forexample, softwood cuttings of this variety were first taken and rootedin 2008 in Grand Junction, Mich., and have been propagated several timessince in succeeding years. All propagated plants have retained theoriginal characteristics. Softwood cuttings and microshoots from tissueculture root readily, but using young shoots for cuttings results inhigher rooting percentages.

Field observations were made in Spring 2012 on a 6-year old individualplant located in a seedling plot near Interlachen, Fla. Laboratoryanalysis of fruit characteristics were done in Grand Junction, Mich.

General comments: ‘BB06-540FL-12’ is a new and distinct low chilltetraploid, as illustrated and described, Southern highbush blueberry(Vaccinium) variety based largely on V. darrowii. It is a productive,very early season ripening variety with high quality fresh marketcharacteristics. It is intended for areas which successfully grow lowerchill Southern highbush varieties. ‘BB06-540FL-12’ provides well-exposedfruit, an upright bush with a small crown, concentrated ripening, firmfruit and easy detachment. This variety is suitable for mechanicalharvesting. Winter chilling requirements for successful flowering andleafing are approximately 200 hours (<7° C.). Plants of ‘BB06-540FL-12’are upright with growth of primary canes and laterals. Flowering andleafing are synchronous, and it can be evergreen in warmer climates.This variety does display a tendency to produce a small percentage offall and early winter blooms. Flowering is early (northern Florida) andmay often require frost protection for successful pollination. Plantvigor is good and doesn't appear to be overly susceptible to foliar andsoil diseases if normal horticultural practices are followed. Itsberries are well exposed, large in size, nearly round in shape, with asmall dry picking scar. It has an attractive blue color with mediumamount of bloom, which is modestly maintained during handling. Theflavor is very good with a balance of high sweetness levels and mediumacidity. Berries have a crunchy and juicy texture with medium storageability of 2 to 3 weeks. Thus, ‘BB06-540FL-12’ provides a very earlymaturing, very glossy thick leaves, some higher cold tolerance, roundishfirm berry with excellent eating qualities, very sweet, and flavorfulfruit.

References to color refer to The Pantone Book of Color, Eisemann andHerbert, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, New York, ISBN 0-8109-3711-5,1990.

The Device used to take color readings was a SpectraMagic NX ModelCR410, Konica Minolta, Japan.

Morphological characteristics reference: Plant Systematics, Jones andLuchsinger, 2 Ed., McGraw Hill, N.Y., ISBN 0-07-032796-3, 1986.

Firmness readings—BioWorks FirmTec2, Wamena, Kans.

-   Average size information:    -   -   General description.—Medium large bush, upright, 6-year            plant 105 cm height, 70 cm width, height/width ratio 1.5:1.        -   Growth.—Very good.        -   Productivity.—Good.        -   Cold hardiness.—Leaf and flower buds −5° C., open flowers            and fruit −2° C.-   Specific features of the variety:-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Plant width.—70 cm at mid-bush.        -   Plant height.—105 cm.        -   Spread.—Canopy 75 cm.        -   Productivity.—4-5 lbs per mature bush.        -   Cold hardiness/tolerance.—Leaf and flower beds −5° C.,            flowers and fruit −2° C.        -   Chilling requirement.—Approximately 200 hours below 7° C.        -   Canes.—Modestly branched, average 6 canes/bush, 22-30 cm            length, medium number of laterals. Mature cane color: —            Pantone Stucco 16-1412, texture medium rough.        -   Fruiting wood.—Smooth, immature winter color — Pantone            Mineral Red 17-1537, immature summer color — Pantone Green            Moss 17-0636; Internode length range 18-20 mm; width 5 mm.        -   Surface texture of new wood.—Smooth, mature canes —            circular, width 10-13 mm.        -   Time of beginning of leaf bud burst (include            location(s)).—January 25 (Interlachen, Fla.).        -   Time of beginning of flowering (include            location(s)).—January 15 (Interlachen, Fla.).        -   Time of fruit ripening (include location(s)).—April 1            (Interlachen, Fla.).        -   Disease resistance/susceptibility.—None claimed.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf color.—Upper — Pantone Avocado 18-0430, Lower — Pantone            Loden Green 18-0422.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, shape — Elliptic.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate.        -   Leaf apices.—Acute.        -   Leaf bases.—Cuneate.        -   Vein and petiole colouration.—Cool season — Pantone Candy            Pick 14-1911; warm season — Pantone Beechnut 14-0425.        -   Petiole length.—4 mm.        -   Leaf dimensions.—Overall shape: 62 mm-74 mm, average 67 mm.            Width: 33 mm-40 mm, average 37 mm.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, no pubescence or nectaries.        -   Leaf surface.—Smooth upper and lower, no pubescence.-   Flower:    -   -   Flower shape.—Elongate urceolate.        -   Flower bud number.—Medium high.        -   Flowers per cluster.—6-9 average 7.        -   Flower fragrance.—Lightly sweet and floral.        -   Corolla color.—Cool temperatures — Pantone Aurora Pink            15-2217; warm — Pantone Ice 11-4803.        -   Corolla length.—7-9 mm, average 8 mm.        -   Corolla aperture width.—3 mm.        -   Flower peduncle.—Length 10 mm.        -   Color.—Pantone Cardinal 18-1643.        -   Flower pedicel.—3 mm.        -   Color.—Pantone Cardinal 18-1643.        -   Calyx (with sepals).—2 mm.        -   Color.—Pantone Olive Green 17-0929.        -   Stamen.—Length: 7 mm.        -   Number per flower.—10.        -   Filament color.—Pantone Rawhide 18-1137.        -   Style.—7-9 mm, average 8 mm.        -   Color.—Pantone Hemp 14-0721.        -   Pistil.—8 mm.        -   Ovary color.—NA.        -   Anther.—Length: 3 mm.        -   Number.—10/flower.        -   Color.—Pantone Rawhide 18-1137.        -   Pollen.—Abundance: Medium. Color: Pantone Cream Gold            13-0739.-   Fruit:    -   -   Date of 50% maturity.—April 3 (Interlachen, Fla.).        -   Yield.—4-5 lbs/bush.        -   Berry color.—With wax: Pantone Blue Ice 17-3922,            SpectraMagic (L,a,b) 40. 50, 0.97, −2.48. With wax removed:            Deep Cobalt 19-3935. Berry flesh color: Pantone Frozen Dew            13-0513. Berry surface wax abundance: Medium, moderately            persistent.        -   Calyx.—Width — 7 mm; depth — 1 mm; shape — 5 lobed with            pronounced ridges.        -   Berry weight.—1.9 grams/berry.        -   Berry size diameter.—17 mm width, 14 mm height, Aspect (H/W)            — 0.8.        -   Berry shape.—Oblate.        -   Fruit stem scar.—Small, dry, 2 mm.        -   Cluster density.—Loose.        -   Detachment force.—Medium easy.        -   Self-fruitfulness.—Poor, will need cross pollination for            maximum yield and size.        -   Berry firmness.—Medium firm, FirmTec 2 score — 210 g/mm².        -   Berry sweetness.—Medium high, Brix °12.3.        -   Berry acidity.—Medium low, TA — 0.21 (titratable acidity).        -   Berry flavor and texture.—Very good with balanced sweet            flavor, crunchy and juicy.        -   Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—Good potential; bush            shape, small crown, berry firmness, loose fruit cluster, and            easy detachment are desirable characteristics for mechanical            harvesting.-   Seed:    -   -   Seed abundance in fruit.—Medium (10-12 seeds/fruit).        -   Seed color.—Pantone Baked Clay 18-1441.        -   Seed dry weight.—NA.        -   Seed size.—Medium, 1-1.5 mm/seed.-   Possible typical market uses: Fresh market, processing into jams,    puree, yogurt.-   Storage quality: Medium, 2-3 weeks in refrigerated storage. In    addition, the coloration of new stems, petioles, venation,    especially if weather is cool, is a distinctive pinkish color.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Blueberry plantnamed ‘BB06-540FL-12’ as described and shown herein.